India’s Gaming Space May Touch $7.5 Bn, Generate 250,000 Jobs By 2025: Meta India MD

Facebook's parent company, Meta, is setting its sights on India's rapidly growing gaming sector. Meta India MD Sandhya Devanathan, speaking at the first India edition of the Meta Gaming Summit in Mumbai, highlighted the industry's immense potential. According to her, the Indian gaming market is poised to reach a staggering $7.5 billion by 2025, creating a whopping 250,000 jobs.

India's Gaming Landscape: A Thriving Ecosystem

The summit also saw the launch of the 'Gaming Playbook' report, offering valuable insights into the Indian gaming ecosystem. Here are some key takeaways:

• Massive Player Base: India boasts a remarkable 146 million real-money gamers (RMG) and a staggering 202 million non-RMG casual gamers. Notably, a significant portion of this player base resides outside major metropolitan cities.

• Digital Growth Driver: The gaming industry is flourishing in India, fueled by the proliferation of digital technologies. Meta is well-positioned to capitalize on this growth, with Arun Srinivas, Director and Head of Ads Business for Meta in India, stating that "Gaming is a top three vertical for Meta globally." Their Advantage+ suite of automated advertising solutions is proving particularly effective for gaming brands, driving significant growth.

• Industry Support and Innovation: The summit brought together leading gaming companies like Dream11 and Nazara Technologies, along with popular gaming creators. Vikrant Mudaliar, CMO of Dream Sports, emphasized the effectiveness of Meta's advertising solutions. He shared how Dream11's customer acquisition cost (CAC) improved by 12% with the help of Meta's automated solutions. Mudaliar also highlighted the success of their marketing strategy during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 and their plans to replicate it for the upcoming IPL 2024.

Mobile Gaming on the Rise

A Meta-commissioned study by GWI on Indian gaming habits revealed some interesting trends:

• High Engagement: A significant portion of smartphone gamers (6 out of 10) play games daily.

• Real-Money Gaming Prevalence: Nearly 90% of real-money gamers engage in such games at least once a week.

• Tier-2 and Tier-3 Gamers: The study found that almost half of casual gamers and 43% of real-money gamers reside in non-metro areas, indicating a growing gaming audience beyond major cities.

Meta: A Gateway for Game Discovery and Purchases

Meta's platforms play a crucial role in game discovery and purchases. Over 90% of gamers utilize these platforms to find new games, influenced by factors like reels, advertisements, and influencer marketing.

The Indian Gaming Industry: A Flourishing Market

The Indian gaming industry witnessed significant growth in FY23, reaching a staggering 568 million gamers, with 25% being paying users, according to a report by Lumikai. This translates to a 12% increase in the overall gamer base and a robust 17% growth in paying users compared to FY22. This growth trajectory is further exemplified by the recent success of Pune-based gaming studio Super Gaming's battle royale title, Indus, which surpassed 10 million pre-registrations on Google Play.

Looking Ahead: A Thriving Gaming Ecosystem

The future of gaming in India appears bright. The upcoming Startup Mahakumbh, scheduled for March 18-20 in New Delhi, will feature a dedicated gaming and esports pavilion, further solidifying the importance of this sector within India's flourishing startup ecosystem.